Woodworking help wanted!

S

SpasticTeapot

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 21, 2004
Messages
188
Yes, this is not technically for computer cases...but what the heck.

I'm looking to build a pair of speakers out of MDF and a layer of thin aluminum or copper sheet. (It's cheaper than veneer, and if you spill coffee on it, it comes right off.)

However, I have the woodworking skills of a fermented kumquat.

Thankfully, the kind (ha!) people at Home Depot can cut the wood into the correctly sized panels, and I have a hole saw (essentially an oversized drillbit) I bought from Harbor Freight for a whopping $5.

I'm going to use MDF, both because it has superior sonic dampening qualities, and because it's really, really cheap. I figure I'll use glue and clamps with aluminum L-channel (I think that's what they're called) along the four edges from top to bottom - hopefully, this will be strong enough to hold together.

Does anyone have any tips for assembly?
 
as opposed to the angle brackets ,i would COUNTERSINK some #8 wood screws .
use a good qualitly wood glue , like LEPAGES . 2800 lbs strenght .
i would then fill the counter sunk holes with a wood fill that matches your mdf .
give it a nice sanding . paint it the color of choice .
the countersunk screws will be way more SOLID that those angle brackets .
IF you dont have a countersink drill bit , a 1/8 , and a 1/4 drill bit will do fine . drill the 1/8 hole first , then carefully countersink with the 1/4 .
you have fun with your woodworking project there .
cheers .
 
When Using MDF Board it is Imperative to make as strong a Joint as Possible. If you don't have Access to a Table Saw, with Dado Blades, that can be adjusted to the Proper Width and Depth of Cut, then you should find a Neighbor or Friend who has one. I recently Purchased a Fine 10" Table Saw from Sears for $59 US, even came with (2) Carbide Blades, then I purchased a 10" Dado Blade set for $29 Bucks.

The Dado set will let you cut slots into the MDF, or Cabinet Grade Plywood with very little effort, it's just a matter of setting the width to the size of your material, and then adjusting the depth to 1/3 the thickness of your MDF, (ie: 3/4" MDF would have a Dado Cut of 3/8" x 3/4" width). Use #8 Wood Screws and Elmers Wood Glue, Clamp adequately, and allow to dry. I hope this Helps.
 
to elabroate on what jim said ,,,[dadoes are great , if you have the tools ].
if you have a table saw , great , if not , why not ask home depot to DAEDO the peices for you . you said they are willin to cut the peices to size . maybe they will go a step further .
good luck .
 
littlejohn1959 said:
to elabroate on what jim said ,,,[dadoes are great , if you have the tools ].
if you have a table saw , great , if not , why not ask home depot to DAEDO the peices for you . you said they are willin to cut the peices to size . maybe they will go a step further .
good luck .
Click to expand...

Some good results seem to have been had with butt joints.

http://home-and-garden.webshots.com...dworking/&track_action=/ViewActions/FullAlbum

I'm building two pairs of speakers at the moment - one very similar to these, and one that, though wildly different, is going to be nearly impossible to dado and even stronger.

http://www.audio-resolution.com/zhorn/fr125s.html

I'm personally a fan of the glue-and-clamp approach.
 
not sure if anyone mentioned it, but SEAL THE INSIDE WITH SILICON. Anyone who does car audio wil tell you a speaker box that is unsealed sucks. Also use thicker mdf for the more powerfull speakers you use.
 
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